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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. H. RICHARDS. GRAIN WEIGHER.

No. 442,714. Patented Deo. 16, 1890.

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(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2.

F. H. RICHARDS.` GRAIN WRIGRRR.

No.- 442,714. Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

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P. H. RICHARDS. GRAIN WEIGHER.

No. 442,714. l V Y Patented Dec.l 16, 1890.

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UNITED STATES FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE v PRATT tb VHITNEY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAIN-WEIGHER.

ySPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.442,714, dated December 16, 1890. Application ii] ed February 20, 1890l Serial No. 341,197. (No model.)

Io the grain weighing.

The invention has for its object to provide a regulator grain-weigher of the two-valve class, in which the operation of the Inachine is regulated by means of the improvements.

I hereinafter more fully set forth.

In lthe drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of `so much of an automatic grainweigher as embodies my present improvezo ments. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper portions of the machine. Fig. 3 isafront elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2, and is drawn in projection therewith. Fig. 4E is a detached view showing certain details of the 5 regulator apparatus. Figs. 5, G, and 7 are side elevations of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3, shonf'ing by successive steps the normal operation of the valves and the mode of operation of the regulator apparatus. Fig. 8 3o shows a modification of one of the devices employed in the valve mechanism. Similar characters designate like parts in all the Iigures.

The frame-work for carrying the operative 3 5 parts of this machine usually, and as shown in the drawings, comprises two side frames or uprights 2 and 4, held together by the top plate 5, carrying the supply-chute H, and by the hopper P, here forming a part of the 4o frame-work. The grain-bucket G, (shown in dotted lines,) of the double-chambered type or class used in the well-known Hill grainscale, is suspended in the usual manner under the chute H and discharges its loads of grain intermittingly, in the manner substantially as shown in prior Letters Patent of the United States. The grain-bucket is supported by the usual hangers, (not shown,) that are suspended in awell-known manner on the pivots or knife-edges 15 and 17, respectively,

the side frames 2 and 4C between the said 65 PATENT OEEICE.

of the principal arms 19 and 21 of the scalebeam B. This beam has V-shaped bearings 20 and 22-one at each end of the hollow shaft 50 thereofwhich rest on the pivots or knifeedges 24 and 26, that are suitably supported, 55 as by bearings 23 and 25, on the frame-work. Opposite to arms 19 and 21 au arm 2S extends rearwardly and is provided with a pivot or knife-edge 27, on which the main weight W (also designated as the counter- 6o weight) is suspended by a hook 29. The form of regulator -hopper P herein shown forms a part of the frame-work of the Inachine, it being bolted or otherwise secured to frames. Said hopper P, the vertically-movable plunger N, the rod lat, and a guide (not shown) for said plunger are or may be the same as the corresponding parts in Letters Patent of the United States No. 410,117, 7o granted to me August 27, 1889.

The reducing-valve is carried by the arms 62 and 64,'Which are fixed to the pivot or valve-shaft (31, that is journaled in suit.- able bearings formed on the supply-chute H, a suitable stop, as 66, being provided to limit the closing movement of said valve. The valve 60 is operated from the scale-beam through the beam-arm 71, carried by the arm 21 of said beam, which said arms may be 8o formed integral, if such construction be preferred. Said arm 7l acts on the weighted valve-lever 69, which is fixed to one end of the pivot-shaft 61. When the arm 69 is lowered or raised by the operation of the beamarm 71, the said arm 69 being fixed to the shaft 6l, turns said shaft in its bearings, and thereby opens or closes the reducing-valve 60, as the case may be. The preferred construction of said :reducing-valve and its operating 9o means herein shown is more fully set forth and claimed in the prior application of C. H. Cooley, Serial No, 338,818, tiled January 31, 1890, to which I have permission to refer.

The cut-off valve 70 is carried by the arms 95 72 and 74, which are pivoted at 63 and 68 to the sides of the chtite H some suitable stop, as 73, being provided to properly limit'the closing movement of this valve.V This valve 70 is both a cut-off valve and a regulator-valve.

IOO

For the lirst purpose it is operated directly from the reducing-valve GO, and for the sec' ond purpose from the regulator, which .is below the grain-bucket, and through the shiftable valve-actuator 5S, whose catch 57 is adapted to engage the arm 5) of the valve 70. This actuator is carried on a pivot 5G, which is lixed in the arm S5, that is carried on the valve-shaft 6l and that normally has a fixed relation to the valve (ill, so that as said valve GO is moved the said actua-tor is carried with it. Said normally-fixed relai ion of said pivot 6G and the reducing-valve is secured by.

means of some suitable connections, which also serve when actuated by the regulator to change said relation. One suitable means for this purpose is a toggle, which comprises the lilik S-t, pivoted at 5U to the pivot of the actuator 5S, the link Si), pivoted at Sli to l lo the valve (SO and at 82 to the link Sal, and to the connecting-rod Sl for operating said toggle. \Vith a connecting device of this nature there is normally maintained a lixed relation, as set forth, whereby the movementof the actuator 5S is simultaneous and coincident with that of said valve. Thus conditioned, the operation. of the valves G0 and 70 and of the actuator 58 is the same as described in my application, Serial No. Silflil), liled February 24, 1890, to which reference may be had.

'lhe cut-ol'f valve 70 remains normally closed during the making up of the greater part of a load of grain in the bucket G. Fig. l shows the reducing-valve 60 fully open, leaving the iiow of grain from the chute ll into the bucket G unobstructed, except by the closure of the drip space. lVhen the major part of a load has been made up in the bucket, the beam descends and operates through the beam-arm 7l and the weighted arm (il) to close the valve (50, and at the same time bring the catch 57 of the latch 58 into engagement with the arm 50 to open the cut'off valve TO, as in Fig. 5. rThe column of grain flowing into the bucket is thus reduced to a drip by which the full load is made up, when the beam further descends and the stop 55 strikes the inner projeetingend of the actuator 5S, disengaging the catch 57 of said actuator from the arm 50. The valve then closes by reason cf its own weight, cutting off the llow of grain entirely. The bucket now swings over and at the same time discharges its load into the hopperl. The beam .rises and operates, through the means above described therefor, to open valve (SO and allow the grain to again flow freely into the bucket to make up a second load. This constitutes the normal operation of the machine considi ered independently of the regulator apparatus.

The rod li of the fceleror plunger Nis suspended by apivot G7 from the arm T5 of the regulator-shaft 7G, which is journaled in suitable bearings on the chtite H. A stop 77 is iixcd to rod lt near the upper end thereof tor at some other convenient point thereof) to engage with the stop-arm or bracket 78, that is fixed to or formed on some part of t-hc machinewas, .lor instance, the chute ll. Fixed tothe opposite cud otx shaft 7G is an arm 79, to which is pivoted at 8O one end of the connecting rod or link Sl, whose opposite end is pivot-ed, as aforesaid, atSZ` tothe links 83 and Si. A catch S is formed on rod 'll to engage with the projection .l on the arm 2l of the scale-beam, as shown in Figs. l and .t.

The operation of this regulator apparatus is as follows: The beam on its upward movement lifts the rod llifrom its position in Fig. 5 to that in Figs. l, E3, and T. This opera-tes the toggle-links 33 and Sl to throw the actuator into its inoperative position, as there shown; but on the first downward movement of the beam from its position in Figzl to that in Fig. 5 the rod it is normally carried down by the descent of the regulatorN to again set the toggle asin Fig. 5, and thus throw the actuator 5S into its operative position there shown. Thus the actuator-shifting devices are operated at each stroke of the beam when the regulator is of the class N. tShown in my said prior Letters Patent.) The mode of operation thus far set forth is that taking place when the hopper l subtantially free of grain. XVhen the grain accumulates in said hopper, as indicated in Fig. 2 of said prior Letters Patent, then said accumulation will prevent the descent of said regulator N, and thus maintain the actuator-shit`ting devices in their retracted position, as in Fig. 7, while the reducing-valve is closed. This allows both valves to be closed before the beam descends to the poising-point, and thus stops the machine. On the discharge of said accumulation of grain the weight of said part N and ot' the rod lt operates through said shifting devices to actuate the actuator to open the valve 70, as in Fig. 5, and thus start the machine, when the several operations are repeated as before.

When reference is herein made to the move ment of the scale-bean'i, the movement of the bucketsupport.ing armsthereof is meant, this coinciding, of course, with that of the bucket itself.

It is not essential to my present invention that the toggle-links described shall be used to shift the actuator, nor that said shifting device shall connect to the pin 56. In Fig. 8 I have shown an improvement wherein the cam 32 is substituted for said links. In this case the cam is pivoted at 8G to the arm 62, and has a cam-slot 33 engaging the pin 5t in the arm 85.

In referring to the actuator 5S in the broader sense it is said to be carried by the reducingvalve, since this valve and all parts thereto, rigidly or connected, constitute for some purposes one integral element of the combinations eomprised in this invention.

That feature of the grain-weigher herein described which consists in the shiftable IOC TIO

valve-actuator normally operated by the scale-beam and exceptionably operated by the regulator is broadly claimed in a separate application, Serial No. 340,811, iiled February 14, 1890, to which reference inaybeliad.

That feature of the machine herein shown which consists, essentially, in the reducingvalve, combined with a valve-actuator carried thereon for opening the cut-off valve from the closing movement ot` the reducing-valve, is described and broadly claimed in my application, Serial No. 341,499, filed February 24, 1890, to which reference may be had.

Having thus described my invention, I claiin- 1. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the supply-ch ute andthe scale-beain,aud With red ucing-valve operated from said beam and carrying the cut-ol-valve actuator, of the regulator arranged to be lifted by the beam, and actuator-shifting devices actuated by said regulator to operate said actuator.

2. ln a grain-weigher, the combination, with the supply-ch ute and the scale-beam, and with the red ucing-valve operated froinsaid beam and carryingthe cut-off-valve actuator, o f the regulator constructed to be lifted by the beam, a toggle operating` to shift the actuator relatively to the reducing-valve,and connections between the regulator and toggle, whereby the actuator is thrown into its operative position on the descent of the regulator.

3. In a grain-Weigher, the combination, with reducing and cut-off valves, of the actuator carried by the reducing-valve and adapted to engage and open the cut-off valve, the toggle-links 83 and 84, the rod 81, the plunger, and connections operating said rod from said pli'inger to throw said actuator into its inoperative position on the rising of the plunger.

4. -In a grai n-Weigher, the combination, with the scale-beam and the regulator-hopper, and with valve mechanism having a valve-actuator arranged to be shifted from an operative into an inoperative position, of the plunger connected to aotuate said shi ftable actuator, and having thereon a fixed arm and a corre- Sponding ai'in carried by the beam and engaging to lift said rod on the upward movement of the beam.

5. In a grain-Weigher, the combination, with the scale-beam and the hopper, and With valve mechanism having ay cut-oivalve actuator operated through toggle-links carried by the reducing-valve, of the plunger and rod connected to actuate said links, and engagingstops, one carried by the rod and one carried by the beam, whereby the rod and togglelinks are actuated on the rising of the beam.

6. In a grain-Weigher, the combination, with the frame-Work having a hopper below the grain-bucket and a supply-chiite above said bucket, of the scale-beam', the reducing-valve operated from said beam, the cutoff valve, the shiftable actuator carried by the reducing-valve and actuating the cut-ott valve, actuator-shifting devices, a stop on the' beam disengaging said actuator, and the regulator connected to said shifting devices to act through said actuator for the opening of the cut-oit1 valve on the descent of the regulator.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS. 

